The White House is pushing back against a BBC reporter's tweet that went viral claiming President Trump did not wear a translating device while Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni spoke Saturday at the G7 summit.
James Landale tweeted out a short video clip that he said "sums up this G7 summit: look who has chosen not to hear a translation of his Italian host's speech." In the clip, other world leaders like German Chancellor Angela Merkel are seen wearing headphones, while Trump appears to be wearing nothing to translate the Italian speech.
Landale's tweet had been retweeted more than 18,000 times as of Sunday morning, and entire articles from The Mirror and Der Spiegel criticized Trump based on the clip.
A short clip that sums up this G7 summit: look who has chosen not to hear a translation of his Italian host's speech #G6 pic.twitter.com/6pXbBlfvof
— James Landale (@BBCJLandale) May 27, 2017
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer wrote, however, that Trump was wearing a single listening device in his right ear.
As usual @POTUS wears a single ear piece for translation in his right ear https://t.co/Opm2qk1hOQ
— Kayleigh McEnany 45 Archived (@PressSec45) May 27, 2017
Bloomberg White House reporter Jennifer Jacobs appeared to confirm the White House version of events.
Trump was indeed listening to foreign leaders via a translation earpiece.
White House not happy there was false reporting otherwise. https://t.co/t589XTIhP5— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) May 27, 2017
Landale quoted Spicer's tweet to give the White House story, although that tweet of his was retweeted 110 times as of Sunday morning. Put another way, it was retweeted once for every 163 times his original claim was retweeted.
White House says that Donald Trump wears an ear piece in his right ear for translation https://t.co/kquwUeSi6k
— James Landale (@BBCJLandale) May 27, 2017
Hillary Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon wrote that Spicer's correction should be shared as much as Landale's original video, comparing it to White House counselor Kellyanne Conway's infamous reference to "alternative facts."
This correction shd be shared as much as initial claim. Can't decry alternative facts then traffic in them ourselveshttps://t.co/0noij6xSvK
— Brian Fallon (@brianefallon) May 28, 2017
Numerous observers leapt on the original clip to mock Trump, however, including MSNBC host Andrea Mitchell and HuffPost reporter Sam Stein.
Trump obviously speaks fluent Italian so there is no need for headphones for translation https://t.co/CTq0N5iJu2
— Sam Stein (@samstein) May 27, 2017
Maybe he will read translation later:) https://t.co/iyjCvM9E08
— Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) May 27, 2017
Worried the headphones would mess up his hair, perhaps?
— Andrea Catherwood (@acatherwoodnews) May 27, 2017
He might be fluent in Italian
— Carolin Roth (@CarolinRothTV) May 27, 2017
TRUMP: How can you people listen to your walkmen while this Italian guy is talking. I'm the only one here not being rude.
— Mr. Newberger (@jeremynewberger) May 27, 2017